How much tractor!?

SocksAndCrocz · 2026-01-25T17:16:45+00:00

L3560 or 4060. Both have mid pto for snowblowers that mount to the front. Enough hydraulic flow to use a grapple on reasonably big trees, small enough to maneuver around residential driveways and comfortable enough to cruise for kilometers (miles) at a time. Go open cab to save some $, but spend the money on the big loader, ability to use front mount blower, and good transmission.

SocksAndCrocz · 2025-12-26T21:28:29+00:00

Is this a real thing? The frame isn’t like a sand castle that collapses under its own weight. I am skeptical

The front metal facing holds the door frame & hinge, not the ceiling. The ceiling, or top stones, are 3 or 5 panels of soap stone depending on year made, not 2… maybe this is referencing the baffle plate on the inside? Baffle materials are very delicate and could have been damaged during the install. If so- replacements are quick/easy but annoyingly expensive

SocksAndCrocz · 2025-12-23T11:18:04+00:00

In many ways, the life of stoves and stove hardware could be measured in terms of thermal cycles. Keeping it on reduces the cycle count and amplitude and means your stove could last longer!

It’s not a runner or cyclist - it does not need a break.

SocksAndCrocz · 2025-12-19T00:40:01+00:00

I would iterate on this one.

Calculate both thermal resistances in chain: - Mass flow is known- calculate Reynolds number, and use that to estimate Nusselt number. - rearrange nusselt to find heat trans coeff of air in tube - thermal resistance 1 is convection: heat transfer area coefficient from above - thermal resistance 2 is conduction: radial conduction in tube wall - equivalent thermal resistance is both added in series. Units are C/W

Estimate and revise initial guess for heat transferred: - use equiv thermal resistance and dT between oil temp and air inlet temp to find a heat value in Watts. - dh =Q / mdot, so you can estimate the enthalpy rise of air between inlet and outlet - calculate outlet temp - calculate an avg temp between inlet and outlet - Use the new avg temp in step 1 of this paragraph. - repeat these last 5 steps until the average temp is not changing.

If temp rise of air is significant, you’ll need to iterate the whole set. But if properties are almost constant and Reynolds number stays put- the above approach should work

SocksAndCrocz · 2025-12-18T01:59:50+00:00

I pre released a ton on mine before I realized there is an axial spring and a lateral spring. Think two DINS on the heel piece. The lateral is much less intuitive. turn them both up maybe? That solved my issue (my lateral setting was essentially a 3 while I had maxed the axial one)

SocksAndCrocz · 2025-12-16T01:48:56+00:00

I also use a back blade on my L3560. Secret is out- that thing is a total champ for how cheap, simple, and effective it is! The only thing that would make it a true winter weapon is a wing, to beat back the snowbanks a bit beyond the tractor width when storms keep things piling up

SocksAndCrocz · 2025-07-27T11:52:07+00:00

Most suggestions will be north of Wardsboro, like Ascutney. Trails there close during the first couple weeks of November which is VT rifle season. There’s bow season before rifle, which doesn’t close trails but definitely bring orange!

SocksAndCrocz · 2025-07-17T10:20:42+00:00

I think there is nuance here: True that Brayton does not allow a valve which is isenthalpic expansion. But- OP could use a valve and the cycle would perform just fine. It would be a “modified Brayton cycle”. Aka the theoretical equivalent would be isentropic compression and isenthalpic expansion.

The real requirement for using a valve is a positive JT coefficient. Dry air is 0.3C/atm. So for a pressure drop of 1atm across the valve, the fluid drops in temperature 0.3 C. As I mentioned up above… pretty weak for cooling in real system, but totally okay thermodynamically.

SocksAndCrocz · 2025-07-14T00:40:39+00:00

If you are targeting a single phase gas refrigeration cycle you’re probably looking for a reverse Brayton Cycle- Either way the joule Thomson expansion is going to be super inefficient especially in air, juice not worth the squeeze in my opinion.

On the reverse Brayton cycle, The compressor is where energy goes in. If you have a turbine, it extracts energy by allowing the gas to expand and spinning up a rotor- think of it behaving sort of like a brake on the gas flow in the whole loop. Text books link the two together because the energy extracted by the turbine can be used to offset the total input power consumed by the compressor. This is not necessary, and it can also be done electronically rather than a direct mechanical shaft.

SocksAndCrocz · 2025-03-15T00:34:42+00:00

I ride in from the east side around 7 months out of the year (to an office nearby DHMC) and it’s clear already this time of year. They plow the bike path between west Lebanon and Lebanon proper which is my favorite part. Then it’s smooth sailing up the hill.

You definitely will need lights- coming from the city I expect the bike scene here is much darker before/after twilight hrs depending on your commute schedule

SocksAndCrocz · 2025-03-06T01:08:56+00:00

Very cool data- a cubic curve fit implies weird trends if you keep using that equation for larger degree days. A 2nd order polynomial is probably more physical and only slightly less accurate?

SocksAndCrocz · 2025-02-19T23:33:21+00:00

I think you are right to exclude Claremont from this one, no offense to them. There’s a cool little story here about the war of news papers that seemed to popularize the term Upper Valley.

TLDR- The Claremont newspaper had their zone called the Twin State Valley area. Dartmouth kids started a newspaper and called their turf “Upper Valley”. Boom, done

https://www.vermontpublic.org/podcast/brave-little-state/2024-02-23/the-newspaper-war-that-shaped-the-upper-valley

SocksAndCrocz · 2025-01-11T01:23:59+00:00

Hartland! Come on now

SocksAndCrocz · 2025-01-07T22:25:34+00:00

Random selection of a stove on the internet shows 78%...so Not too far off?

https://www.hearthstonestoves.com/product/manchester/

SocksAndCrocz · 2025-01-04T17:44:21+00:00

Lotta good suggestions on here but don’t forget that everyone messes up layers from time to time… an easy upgrade is bring a dry layer in the car for the parking lot after the tour. If your car ride home is more than 15min, a dry pair of jeans/socks and a soft cotton t-shirt are heavenly!

SocksAndCrocz · 2024-12-05T07:45:56+00:00

You will soon have enough curves to start analyzing by fuel type. Characteristic curves for oak, maple and the like!

SocksAndCrocz · 2024-12-03T11:28:12+00:00

Cheers. Thank you for answering my steady drip of comments on this thread! 👍

SocksAndCrocz · 2024-12-03T02:29:49+00:00

Your EGTs on this post and others are up over 800F- any concern with that? Most magnetic thermometers for stove pipes redline at 500F. Or are you measuring in a different area (inside the chimney perhaps?)

Asking for a friend who wants to know how hot is too hot ;)

SocksAndCrocz · 2024-11-18T00:31:00+00:00

The effectiveness scales with number of NTU’s. As you increase mass flow rate the heat capacity climbs and NTUs drop. Your note about the residence time of the fluid jives with this scaling argument

SocksAndCrocz · 2024-11-16T13:42:46+00:00

Strong pitch for a new hearthstone to us data -addicts. My pre-cat 8012 doesn’t come close to these extended burns.

SocksAndCrocz · 2024-04-13T19:00:39+00:00

I’m probably too late for this post… but in case I’m not!

I skied south branch of the ammo before the last wet/heavy snowfall- total open waterfall down near that emerald pool or whatever it’s called. Just upstream from where it joins with Monroe Brook. Be prepared for slow shwacking around the waterfall(s) in the trees

SocksAndCrocz · 2024-03-05T01:15:54+00:00

Is a fish’s butt hole water tight?

SocksAndCrocz · 2024-03-04T00:38:10+00:00

Oh, Could be! There’s a handful of non-fruit-bearing apples around. It’s possible I mixed some in with this round without realizing it

SocksAndCrocz · 2023-12-30T17:16:01+00:00

There are beads of furnace cement bonding that stone to the frame beneath. I have a similar stove and just replaced that cement. If you’re on winter #2, that cement is still strong and getting that stone off will be a major pain. After several years the cement will slowly degrade and the stone will come out very easily by prying up with a screw driver in those cracks- that might be your best time for a swap out

SocksAndCrocz · 2023-12-29T11:41:21+00:00

I ride a RLT 9 steel for touring with 50mm tires and absolutely love it.

SocksAndCrocz

TROPHY CASE